The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-06
The LAsoRERs. FRIEND.
Democracy and Its Relations 20 the Pro-
ducinC Glasses.

NO one denies that the Democratic
party from the first, always, without
deviation, without variableness or
shadow of turning, has been the work
ing-man's party. and has been pro-
foundly interested in the welfare Of
Working-mcn. The interest that the
Democratic party has taken in the
welfare of wOrking-men has not been
spasmodic, fitful. variable, irregular.
but steady. constant and conscientious.
We challenge the record, every page
luminous with the facts as we state
them. Ii could not, in the nature oi
things. be otherwise. The great ma
jority OF the Democratic party has
always been poor men, working-men.
not millionaireS, not aristOcrats, not
men who accumulated wealth by mo-
nOpOiistic methods, railroad wreckin@.
land grabbing. stock and bond gam
bling, land stealing, etc. Such things
have distinguished the Republican
party and in other days, the Wing
party. Andrew Jackson saw the tend
ency of the times. when he laid his
magisterial hand on the United States
Bank and crushed stupenIous mo-
nopOly.
The Democratic idea is the equitable
distribution of the wealth which labor
creates. The Democratic party adopts
the declaration that all wealth, all rev.
enues are derived from labor. and this
being true, labor should be fairly re-
munerated. The right of labor to or
ganize to promote its welfare is not
only conceded but advocated. Demo-
Gratis believe that such organizations
are prudential and in consonance with
Democratic policy and good govern
ment.
The question arises, what are the
prime objects Of labor organization? a
general reply would be the welfare of
their members. But. to be more spe-
cific, many of the labor organizations
are benevolent in character-they are
a kind of life and health Insurance as
sociations. They issue and pay death,
and sickness policies. In
many of these organizations the most
rigid examinations are practiced-Only
men of good sound moral character
are Initiated. The demand is that the
members shall be sober and Industrious,
that they shall be skilled in their trade
or calling. that they shall appreciate
the weight and worth of their obliga-
ton and shall be in all regards good
citizens.
Manifestly these labor organizations
are profoundly interested in the mat
ter of wages. They demand fair pay
for a fair days work. To this the
Democratic party does not object
indeed it is and has been the battle
cry of the Democratic party-nor is
there anywhere on record particle
of evidence to the contrary. To as
sumo that the Democratic party has
at any time, anywhere, been opposed
to fair pay, or fair, honest work, is Il
monstrouS libel-known to be such by
all men who are capable of discussing
labor problems.
But it may be asked. who shall de-
termine what is fair days work, and
what is Il far price for a fair day 5
work? These have been the serious
questions, the difficult questions. and
in settling them many serious comtro-
versies have arisen-and it is useless
to say they have been outside the do
main OF party pOlitics-no political
party ever sought to regulate the price
of labOr-and moments reflection is
sufficient to dismiss the proposition. But
there are instances where working
men have fixed the prices for their
work. they have selected their work,
chosen the fields of labor, and then
selected the prices for which they
would perform certain services. Hav-
ing the kind of work they perform and
receiving the wages which they have
determined as equitable, as also the
time of payment, the question arises,
if the employer accedes to these de-
mands, and meets them promptly, what
occasion is there for complaint? The
Democratic party, if it was continually
in session, would be unable to discover
a grievance. 1t would seem that in
such cases entire harmony should pre-
vail between employer and employe,
or to use common phrase, hetween
''capltal and labor" 1t would seem
that working-men themselves had de-
termined what was their equitable
share of the wealth they created, and
having determined that most vital of
all questions relating to labor it would
seem that they had achieved notable